Drain, particularly for use in a gravity-fed drainage system

ABSTRACT

A connection includes a first female member and a second male member. Engageable threads are provided on the inner surface of the female member and the outer surface of the male member. At least one slot is formed in the threads on the inner surface of the female member or in the threads on the outer surface of the male member or both, the slot or slots extending substantially longitudinally of the female member and/or the male member. Each of the slots has a depth greater than the depth of the threads so that when the male member is engaged in the female member, a passageway or passageways past the threads is provided by the slot or slots.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates primarily to drains and has been devisedparticularly, though not necessarily solely, for use as a drain in agravity-fed drainage system.

Most drains presently available for use in gravity-fed drainage systems,such as shower drains, have male and female members which are engaginglythreaded so that the male member may be screwed into the female memberin such a way that peripheral flanges on the female and male memberrespectively are positioned in use above and below the supportingstructure, for example, the shower tray. A seal, such as a compressibleo-ring, is then usually positioned between the underside of the tray andthe upper surface in use of the flange on the female member. Thisconstruction causes a space to be created between the flanges on themale member and the female member into which water can becomepositioned, for example, if the drain is poorly installed or if there ismatter, such as a splinter of wood, leading to distortion of the seal.If the o-ring seal inadequately seals between the flange on the femalemember and the underside of the tray water can leak through the spaceand in time can cause damage to the supporting floor. If the floor iswooden ultimately parts of the floor may rot away. This, of course, isdisadvantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide aconnection and/or a drainage member and/or a drainage construction whichwill obviate or minimize the foregoing disadvantages in a simple yeteffective manner or which will at least provide the public with a usefulchoice.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention consists in a connectioncomprising a first female member and a second male member, engageablethreads on the inner surface of the female member and the outer surfaceof the male member, at least one slot formed in the threads on the innersurface of the female member or in the threads on the outer surface ofthe male member or both, the slot or slots extending substantiallylongitudinally of the female member and/or the male member, each of theslots having a depth greater than the depth of the threads so that whenthe male member is engaged in the female member, a passageway orpassageways past the threads is provided by the slot or slots.

Preferably, there are a plurality of slots.

Preferably, there are four slots.

Preferably, the slots are provided in the female member.

Preferably, the slots extend downwardly to a depth such that, in use,the slot extends past the threads in the male member.

Preferably, the male and the female members are substantially open ateach end thereof.

Preferably, the slots taper inwardly away from the end from which theslot extends.

Preferably, the side walls of the slot are shaped so that the closedface of the slot is narrower than the open face of the slot.

In a further aspect, the invention consists in a drainage membercomprising a female member substantially open at each end, threads onthe inner surface of the female member, at least one slot formed in thethreads on the inner surface of the female member, the slot or slotsextending longitudinally of the female member and the or each slothaving a depth greater than the depth of the threads so that the slot orslots provide a passageway or passageways past the threads in use.

Preferably, a plurality of slots is provided.

Preferably, four slots are provided.

Preferably, the slots taper inwardly away from the end from which theslot extends.

Preferably, the side walls of the slot are shaped so that the closedface of the slot is narrower than the open face of the slot.

In a still further aspect the invention consists in a drainageconstruction comprising a first female member and second male member,co-operating threads on the inner surface of the female member and theouter surface of the male member, at least one slot being formed in thethreads on the inner surface of the female member or in the threads onthe outer surface of the male member, or both, the slot or slotsextending substantially longitudinally of the female member or the malemember, the or each slot having a depth greater than the depth of thethreads across which the slot is provided so that when the male memberis engaged in the female member, a passageway or passageways past thethreads is provided by the slot or slots.

Preferably, a plurality of slots is provided.

Preferably, there are four slots.

Preferably, the slots extend downwardly to a depth such that, in use,the slot extends past the threads in the male member.

Preferably, the slots taper inwardly away from the end from which theslot extends.

Preferably, the side walls of the slot are shaped so that the closedface of the slot is narrower than the open face of the slot.

Preferably, the slots are provided in the female member.

Preferably, the male and female members are open at each end.

Preferably, the male and female member have spaced apart flanges at theinlet end of there of in use, a space being defined between the flangeswhen in use, the passageway or passageways extending from the space tothe open lower end in use of the female member.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changesin construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of theinvention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and thedescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a cut-away perspective view of a female member for use in theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of the female member of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a connection or drainageconstructions according to one preferred form of the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a further part cross-sectional view of the construction ofFIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings a connection, a drainage member and/or adrainage construction are provided as follows. A female member 1 isprovided which is open at end 2 and opposite end 3. In the embodimentshown in FIG. 1 the opening at the end 2 is of substantially largerdiameter than the opening at end 3 but this will depend upon the purposeand geometry of the construction in which the drainage member is to beused. A cylindrical section 4 is provided into which internal threads 5are cut.

One or more slots, and preferably a plurality such as four slots, areprovided across the threads 5. The slot or slots 6 are preferably shapedso that the female member can be formed by the use of a collapsing coremould to facilitate the speed of operation of the mould. Thus, forexample, the slots 6 may taper from the upper end 7 to the lower end 8at an angle as can be determined for the particular use to whichparticularly the female member is to be put. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, which are for use as a shower tray drain, the angles maybe about 7 degrees. It can also be seen that the side walls, forexample, 9 and 10 of the slot, can be shaped, such as curved, so thatthe back wall of the slot 6 is a little narrower than the open spaceopposite the back wall of the slot 6.

The slots 6 are provided so that they extend inwardly a greater distancethan the threads. This can be clearly seen for example in FIG. 1. Againthe exact distance that the slots extend past the threads will depend onthe actual use to which the embodiment is put but in the embodimentshown in FIG. 1 the depth is for example, two to three times the depthof the threads. At the bottom of the slot 6 a ledge 12 is provided andin such a construction the ledge 12 must be at a position lower than themaximum downward extent of threads 20 on an inner male member 21. Themale member 21 is also open at the upper end 22 and the lower end 23thereof. Thus for example, the lower end 24 of the threads 5 terminatesbelow the lower end 25 of the threads 20. Referring to FIG. 4 it can beseen that ledge 12 is therefore below the position of the lower end 25.

In alternative constructions the slots 6 could be cut into the malemember 21 or indeed slots could be provided in both members.

In other embodiments of the invention again depending on the geometry ofthe construction ledge 12 may not be provided, for example, where theinlet and outlet opening of the female member are substantially similarin diameter.

In use the female member 2 is brought up under the, for example, showertray 30 so that an outwardly extending flange or rim 31 for example,having an upstand 32 butts the underside of the tray 30 and the malemember is then screwed into the female member so that an outwardlyextending rim 35 on the male member abuts the upper surface of the tray30. An o-ring 36 may provide a seal between the underside of the member30 and the flange 31. The provision of the slots 6 mean that any watercollecting between the flanges 35 and 31 will drain to the outlet of thefemale member through the slots 6.

Thus, it can be seen that at least in the preferred form of theinvention, a connection and/or a drainage member or drainageconstruction are provided which have the advantage that any watercollecting in the vicinity of the flanges which clamp above and belowthe supporting structure, such as a shower tray, will tend to drain awayfrom that position through the slot or slots 6. It is a particularadvantage of the construction of the preferred form of the constructionthat a collapsing core mould can be used for high speed production ofthe female member. Furthermore, the slots 6 reduce any tendency forcapillary action up the threads to occur.

1. A connection comprising a first female member and a second malemember, engageable threads on the inner surface of the female member andthe outer surface of the male member, at least one slot formed in thethreads on the inner surface of the female member or in the threads onthe outer surface of the male member, or both, the slot or slotsextending substantially longitudinally of the female member and/or themale member, the or each slot having a depth greater than the depth ofthe threads so that when the male member is engaged in the femalemember, a passageway or passageways past the threads is provided by theslot or slots.
 2. A connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein there area plurality of slots.
 3. A connection as claimed in claim 2, whereinthere are four slots.
 4. A connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein theslots are provided in the female member.
 5. A connection as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the slots extend downwardly to a depth such that in usethe slot extends past the threads in the male member.
 6. A connection asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the male and the female members aresubstantially open at each end thereof.
 7. A connection as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the slots taper inwardly away from the end from whichthe slot extends.
 8. A connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein theside walls of the slot are shaped so that the closed face of the slot isnarrower than the open face of the slot.
 9. A drainage member comprisinga female member substantially open at each end, threads on the innersurface of the female member, at least one slot formed in the threads onthe inner surface of the female member, the slot or slots extendinglongitudinally of the female member and the or each slot having a depthgreater than the depth of the threads so that the slot or slots providea passageway or passageways past the threads in use.
 10. A drainagemember as claimed in claim 9, wherein a plurality of slots are provided.11. A drainage member as claimed in claim 10, wherein four slots areprovided.
 12. A drainage member as claimed in claim 9, wherein the slotstaper inwardly away from the end from which the slot extends.
 13. Adrainage member as claimed in claim 9, wherein the side walls of theslot are shaped so that the closed face of the slot is narrower than theopen face of the slot.
 14. A drainage construction comprising a firstfemale member and second male member, co-operating threads on the innersurface of the female member and the outer surface of the male member,at least one slot being formed in the threads on the inner surface ofthe female member or in the threads on the outer surface of the malemember, or both, the slot or slots extending substantiallylongitudinally of the female member or the male member, the or each slothaving a depth greater than the depth of the threads across which theslot is provided so that when the male member is engaged in the femalemember a passageway or passageways past the threads is provided by theslot or slots.
 15. A drainage construction as claimed in claim 14,wherein a plurality of slots are provided.
 16. A drainage constructionas claimed in claim 15, wherein there are four slots.
 17. A drainageconstruction as claimed in claim 14, wherein the slots extend downwardlyto a depth such that in use the slot extends past the threads in themale member.
 18. A drainage construction as claimed in claim 14, whereinthe slots taper inwardly away from the end from which the slot extends.19. A drainage construction as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sidewalls of the slot are shaped so that the closed face of the slot isnarrower than the open face of the slot.
 20. A drainage construction asclaimed in claim 14, wherein the slots are provided in the femalemember.
 21. A drainage construction as claimed in claim 14, wherein themale and female members are open at each end.
 22. A drainageconstruction as claimed in claim 14, wherein the male and female memberhave spaced apart flanges at the inlet end of there of in use, a spacebeing defined between the flanges when in use, the passageway orpassageways extending from the space to the open lower end in use of thefemale member.